The Mystery Child
by Ravingalexis
Summary: Summary: Dan didn't really want to admit that he liked Phil- hell, he hadn't even thought of Kirsten in hours. He didn't even know his name, but infatuation ran a deep trench in his heart for the boy, and somehow, he knew things would be different if they never got to know each other, never got to explore what they could be. If anything. Rated T for mild swearing and may be longer


***A/n *****Hey guys, happy Monday! Sorry this is so late, I've been hella busy :P Anyway, I have an au phanfic here that I've been working on, kind of an interesting idea. I hope you guys like it! **

Dan hated having to be awake seemingly before the rest of the world. It was always dark and cold and rainy. He despised standing outside for ten minutes at a time when he could barely hold his head up, and today was no different. He was literally falling asleep while standing up, his face brisk and vision foggy.

His mother had warned him to take better care of himself. He was told to eat, sleep, and do well in school, and he was trying, which was why he'd spent all night studying for his French final and his brain felt about as solid as a bowl of pudding.

In fact, he was so weary he almost missed the school bus creak to a stop right in front of him.

A half hour bus ride awaited Dan as he stepped inside slowly. He was one of the first stops so he could sit almost anywhere, and opted to plop down directly in the back, his legs collapsing beneath him.

Letting out a sigh, Dan leaned his head against the bus window and closed his eyes. He heard person after person shuffle past, talking in muffled voices, some snoring. The moving bus sent small vibrations through his body and he was almost asleep once more when the movement suddenly stopped.

Dan figured they were at that one bus stop where a million people got on and dared not stir in case someone wanted to sit next to him, but moments later another kid obnoxiously kicked the back of his seat.

He let out an unintentional groan and mumbled something completely incoherent before a heavy back pack was pressed into his side and he was squished against the window even more.

Dan groggily lifted his head and blinked, eyes met with some kid whose face was hidden behind a slightly tussled head of black fringe. He didn't dwell on this boys identity in any way, simply lowered his head back to the cool glass.

For the next five stops or so Dan could feel the boy's eyes flicker to him. He tried to ignore it for the longest time, but then his arm was being poked repeatedly and it became nearly impossible. His peaceful morning had all but vanished.

"Mhhmmm, what?"

Dan listened carefully to the softness of the mystery boy's voice, as he said "the bus window doesn't look very comfortable..." and Dan nodded.

"Did you bring a pillow?"

The boy's lively laugh made his ears perk up.

"No,"

"Darn."

The other was still giggling quietly when he spoke next. "I was going to ask you if you wanted to lay your head on my shoulder." Dan paused. He picked his head back up hesitantly.

"People like you are what I live for." he gave a sleepy, crooked grin and leaned into this boy he barely knew, unable to resist falling asleep against him.

#

Phil glance around the school bus nervously as kids hurried to exit. They crowded close to each other, pressing forward eagerly. It was complete chaos, yet Phil felt as if he were watching as an outsider. He could not believe Dan Howell was sleeping through all of it. He did look fairly exhausted, however, and that's why Phil simply let him sleep.

As time went on and the bus grew more abandoned, the pair was destined to be singled out in the back where they sat. Phil was careful with Dan and lowered them both down slowly, behind the seat and near the floor. He stayed silent, and eventually, the wheels turned beneath the two once more as the driver pulled away from the school, completely oblivious.

#

It was a few hours before Dan showed any signs of waking from his slumber. Phil slid them back onto the seat once he was sure they were alone, and watched Dan's gentle breathing for the entire time. It was nearly eleven then, and Dan stretched his arms slightly, hitting Phil's arm and leaping up with a panicked expression faster than he thought possible.

"Shit, sorry mate! God, we're at school already? Shit..." he was scrambling to grab his bag and Phil coughed, worriedly meeting Dan's gaze as he paused, hands in mid air. "What the hell?"

"Sorry," Phil mumbled. He was trying his hardest not to laugh, unsure if Dan would be totally pissed at him. "I didn't want to wake you." Dan sighed and ran a hand shakily through his hair before dropping it quickly.

"Do you have any idea how to get home from here?" Phil shook his head apologetically. "Well... there goes my French final. I was supposed to meet Kirsten during Seminar, too. What time is it?"

"Time for you to get a watch."

Dan groaned in laughed and grinned the way Phil loved, lopsided and bright. He could almost feel is heart melting on the spot.

"Oh God, how am I going to survive all day with a kid who can't even tell good jokes?" Phil smacked him on the arm playfully and sat eagerly, giving him a pouting, pleading look.

"Wait, I can do better!"

"Okay..." Dan shrugged. "Go for it.."

Phil bit his lip and posed confidently. "Why were dinosaurs so big?"

Dan had a puzzled look plastered on his face, trying to out smart this kid. Eventually, he simply gave in and brown eyes clashed with blue as he looked to Phil for the answer.

"Jurassic times call for Jurassic measures."

Dan hid his face in his hands, exhaling slowly.

#

"Dan, you have to eat lunch."

"Didn't pack anything." the other called from the front of the bus. They had been this way for nearly an hour, bus seat upon bus seat separating them physically. Dan was just trying not to snap; it wasn't Phil's fault he'd been tired enough that morning to use him as a pillow.

"We can share mine." Phil suggested. Dan twisted in his seat and grasped the back of it tightly. "You don't even know me that well, and you're willing to give me half your lunch?"

"Who said anything about half?" Phil munched on a carrot stick casually, raising an eyebrow at Dan. True he didn't know him well, but that didn't mean things would remain that way forever.

"You're the one who wanted me to eat."

Phil watched as he turned back around then and slumped down into his seat, pulling out his phone to mindlessly scroll through Twitter no doubt. In fact, he was in the middle of tweeting "Save me from this nightmare," when a Ziploc bag collided with the top of his head. "What the hell?" he stuttered and bent down to pick it up when something else smacked into his back abruptly.

"Stop throwing food at me," he said between fruitful laughs. The boy he barely knew had been kind enough to give him two pieces of pizza and a bag of potato chips. Dan smiled to himself.

Poking his head above the seat, he practically yelled "Geez, how much food did you bring?"

"Just that." Phil smiled fondly, going back to searching through his bag. While he was looking down, the Ziplocked pizza hit him in the cheek and his lips turned into a confused frown. "Why'd you give it back?"

"That's your lunch, dude." Dan said it as if it were obvious, because it was. He walked down the isle, drawing near him and his expression softened, completely relaxed and in a low voice, continued. "I couldn't just take all of it."

Phil wasn't sure how to reply, feeling slightly defeated as the silence again engulfed them. How stupid it was to be speechless in the presence of such a pretty boy in the back of an ordinary school bus.

"Besides... my girlfriend would kill me."

#

"What am I supposed to do now?" Dan asked. There was an empty feeling in the pit of his stomach, his phone dead and displeasure immense. He was so self indulged he failed to notice Phil as he shook his head, smiling just barely.

"Do you like card games?"

He was worried that Dan would see him as a huge nerd. He'd even avoided saying anything all day, for fear he'd give it away by merely speaking. Dan didn't seem like the kind of kid who liked card games, but God was he wrong.

His face lit up like a Christmas tree; jaw dropping slightly with an awestruck smile.

"Are you kidding?" He sat up properly, leaning towards the boy who had treated him like a fucking king, even when he'd been a complete dick and ignored him for the longest of times. He must have been a freaking saint or something, one with incredibly gorgeous blue eyes that Dan could just drown in and oh God he was not thinking strait at all.

He noticed how adorably Phil laughed, his tongue sticking out slightly, and felt his head spin. "Do you wanna play?"

"Damn right I do!"

#

Dan played Uno with Phil, without actually knowing him, for two whole hours. He was enjoying himself tremendously, and for most of the time he wasn't even sure if a person like Phil was even real. Perhaps he was just a figment of his imagination, which was cruel when he thought about it, really. Phil was everything he wanted in a person, a friend... hell, he was even a better friend than Kirsten was, even after three years of dating.

Somehow Dan could never quite sum up his time with Kirsten perfectly, but could remember every detail of being stuck on that bus with Phil for years to come, every intense gaze they shared, lingering touch and amused chuckle. Phil made him feel alive, caused him to question every friend he'd even known for fifteen years... in a matter of hours.

And it felt exhilarating.

#

Dozens of hands of cards later and Phil was reclined back on a bus seat, staring at the ceiling. Dan was in the seat next to him and in the same position, their legs tangled together in the isleway, and both were quiet. Dan was pretty sure that his unnamed friend had fallen asleep, but listened carefully. The bus driver should be coming back any moment.

Despite just wanting to go home, Dan couldn't help but wish their time on that bus would last forever. He feared that after their encounter, he and the other boy wouldn't talk at all, and it scared him just enough to ask Phil for his phone number.

"Why would you want my number?" He asked in return. Dan didn't really want to admit that he liked Phil- hell, he hadn't even thought of Kirsten in hours. He didn't even know his name, but infatuation ran a deep trench in his heart for the boy, and somehow, he knew things would be different if they never got to know each other, never got to explore what they could be.

If anything.

Before he could even answer the bus doors flew open and their bus driver climbed on. Both boys quickly hid their legs behind the seats and held their breaths in anticipation.

Thankfully, the bus pulled away without knowledge of its passengers and neither Dan nor Phil got in any trouble. They joked about it the whole ride home, and by the time it was Dan's stop Phil glanced up at him sadly. Their time had gone by far too fast.

However, as Dan stood up, he tugged at Phil's hand and pulled him up as well, dragging him along despite his protests. The two then stepped off the bus and Dan simply stood on the side of the road.

"Was that stupid?" he asked nervously.

"Yeah," Phil replied, staring off into the distance. "It's cool though."

"Should we maybe just.. go to my house?"

Phil smiled. "Why not."


End file.
